Linda Castillo

Originally from Ohio where her Amish thrillers are set, Linda Castillo knew from an early age that she wanted to be a writer – and penned her first novel at the age of thirteen. She’s published thirty books for three New York publishing houses and won numerous industry awards, including a nomination by the International Thriller Writers for Best Hardcover, the Golden Heart, the Daphne du Maurier Award of Excellence, and a nomination for the prestigious Rita.
Her debut thriller, Sworn to Silence, garnered starred reviews from Library Journal, Publisher’s Weekly, and Booklist - and spent four weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. The following books in the series also hit the NYT and USA Today lists and became international bestsellers. Sworn to Silence was recently adapted into a two-hour original movie re-titled An Amish Murder and starring Neve Campbell as Kate Burkholder.
She resides in Texas with her husband, two rescued Blue Heelers, and two Appaloosa horses. She’s currently at work on her next novel, a thriller set in Amish Country and featuring Chief of Police Kate Burkholder.

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Linda Castillo

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Gallery of Linda Castillo

On Wednesday, July 9, 2014, New York Times bestselling author, Linda Castillo, showcased her new book,"The Dead Will Tell," at the Massillon Public Library in Massillon, Ohio.

Gallery of Linda Castillo

Linda Castillo is an American author of novels including the New York Times bestselling Kate Burkholder series.

Gallery of Linda Castillo

Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States

At Nicola's Books in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Gallery of Linda Castillo

Linda Castillo with her editor.

Gallery of Linda Castillo

Linda Castillo, American author.

Achievements

Membership

Awards

the Holt Medallion

Linda Castillo was a recipient of the Holt Medallion. The HOLT Medallion Award was named for VRW’s first elected president, Cynthia Holt, and serves as the acronym for Honoring Outstanding Literary Talent. In the early 1990s, there were several contests available to unpublished romance writers, but only a few recognizing the achievements of published writers in romantic fiction. The HOLT has been awarded annually since 1995.

Other photo of Linda Castillo

Other photo of Linda Castillo

Linda Castillo was a recipient of the Holt Medallion. The HOLT Medallion Award was named for VRW’s first elected president, Cynthia Holt, and serves as the acronym for Honoring Outstanding Literary Talent. In the early 1990s, there were several contests available to unpublished romance writers, but only a few recognizing the achievements of published writers in romantic fiction. The HOLT has been awarded annually since 1995.

book

Sworn to Silence

(A killer is preying on sacred ground.... In the sleepy ru...)

A killer is preying on sacred ground.... In the sleepy rural town of Painters Mill, Ohio, the Amish and "English" residents have lived side by side for two centuries. But sixteen years ago, a series of brutal murders shattered the peaceful farming community. In the aftermath of the violence, the town was left with a sense of fragility, a loss of innocence. Kate Burkholder, a young Amish girl, survived the terror of the Slaughterhouse Killer but came away from its brutality with the realization that she no longer belonged with the Amish. Now, a wealth of experience later, Kate has been asked to return to Painters Mill as Chief of Police. Her Amish roots and big city law enforcement background make her the perfect candidate. She's certain she's come to terms with her past - until the first body is discovered in a snowy field. Kate vows to stop the killer before he strikes again. But to do so, she must betray both her family and her Amish past - and expose a dark secret that could destroy her.

Pray for Silence

(New York Times bestselling author Linda Castillo delivers...)

New York Times bestselling author Linda Castillo delivers an electrifying thriller in which Chief of Police Kate Burkholder must confront a dark evil to solve the mysterious murders of an entire Amish family. The Plank family moved from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, to join the small Amish community of Painters Mill less than a year ago and seemed the model of the Plain Life - until on a cold October night, the entire family of seven was found slaughtered on their farm. Police Chief Kate Burkholder and her small force have few clues, no motive, and no suspect. Formerly Amish herself, Kate is no stranger to the secrets the Amish keep from the English - and each other - but this crime is horribly out of the ordinary. State agent John Tomasetti arrives on the scene to assist. He and Kate worked together on a previous case during which they began a volatile relationship.

Breaking Silence

(The Slabaugh family are model Amish farmers, prosperous a...)

The Slabaugh family are model Amish farmers, prosperous and hardworking, with four children and a happy extended family. When the parents and an uncle are found dead in their barn, it appears to be a gruesome accident: methane gas asphyxiation caused by a poorly ventilated cesspit. But in the course of a routine autopsy, the coroner discovers that one of the victims suffered a head wound before death - clearly, foul play was involved. But who would want to make orphans of the Slabaughs' children? And is this murder somehow related to a recent string of shocking hate crimes against the Amish? Having grown up Amish, Kate is determined to bring the killer to justice. Because the other series of attacks are designated hate crimes, the state sends in agent John Tomasetti, with whom Kate has a long and complex relationship. Together, they search for the link between the crimes - and uncover a dark secret at work beneath the placid surface of this idyllic Amish community.

Her Last Breath

(An extraordinarily beautiful Amish woman, a dangerous fem...)

An extraordinarily beautiful Amish woman, a dangerous femme fatale, is the central figure in a story that reveals a dark side of Painters Mill and its seemingly perfect Amish world A rainy night, an Amish father returning home with his three children, a speeding car hurtling toward them out of nowhere. What at first seems like a tragic, but routine car accident suddenly takes on a more sinister cast as evidence emerges that nothing about the crash is accidental. But who would want to kill an Amish deacon and two of his children? He leaves behind a grieving widow and a young boy who clings to life in the intensive care wing of a hospital, unable to communicate. He may be the only one who knows what happened that night. Desperate to find out who killed her best friend's husband and why, Kate begins to suspect she is not looking for a reckless drunk, but instead is on the trail of a cold blooded killer amid the residents of Painter's Mill. It is a search that takes her on a chilling journey into the darkest reaches of the human heart and makes her question everything she has ever believed about the Amish culture into which she was born.

The Dead Will Tell

(A Boston Globe Best Book of 2014 Everyone in Painters Mil...)

A Boston Globe Best Book of 2014 Everyone in Painters Mill knows the abandoned Hochstetler farm is haunted. But only a handful of the residents remember the terrible secrets lost in the muted/hushed whispers of time - and now death is stalking them, seemingly from the grave. On a late-night shift, Chief of Police Kate Burkholder is called to the scene of an apparent suicide - an old man found hanging from the rafters in his dilapidated barn. But evidence quickly points to murder and Kate finds herself chasing a singularly difficult and elusive trail of evidence that somehow points back to the tragedy of that long ago incident. Meanwhile, Kate has moved in with state agent John Tomasetti and for the first time in so long, they're both happy; a bliss quickly shattered when one of the men responsible for the murders of Tomasetti's family four years ago is found not guilty, and walks away a free man. Will Tomasetti be pulled back to his own haunted past? When a second man is found dead - also seemingly by his own hand - Kate discovers a link in the case that sends the investigation in a direction no one could imagine and revealing the horrifying truth of what really happened that terrible night thirty-five years ago, when an Amish father and his four children perished - and his young wife disappeared without a trace. And, as Kate knows - the past never truly dies . . . in The Dead Will Tell by Linda Castillo

After the Storm

(In this electrifying thriller by New York Times bestselle...)

In this electrifying thriller by New York Times bestseller Linda Castillo, Kate Burkholder must uncover a family's long-hidden past to solve a brutal murder When a tornado tears through Painters Mill and unearths human remains, Chief of Police Kate Burkholder finds herself tasked with the responsibility of identifying the bones - and notifying the family. Evidence quickly emerges that the death was no accident and Kate finds herself plunged into a thirty year old case that takes her deep into the Amish community to which she once belonged. Meanwhile, turmoil of an emotional and personal nature strikes at the very heart of Kate's budding relationship with state agent John Tomasetti. A reality that strains their fragile new love to the breaking point and threatens the refuge they've built for themselves - and their future. Under siege from an unknown assailant - and her own personal demons - Kate digs deep into the case only to discover proof of an unimaginable atrocity, a plethora of family secrets and the lengths to which people will go to protect their own.

A Hidden Secret

(When a baby-only hours old-is discovered on the Amish bis...)

When a baby-only hours old-is discovered on the Amish bishop's front porch in Painter's Mill, Ohio, Chief of Police Kate Burkholder is called in to investigate. The newborn is swaddled in an Amish crib quilt, and the only other item found with the child is a hand-carved wood rattle, which Kate also recognizes as Amish. The little girl seems healthy and whole; but who would abandon her and why? Though the quilt and rattle could be purchased, Kate suspects the mother is Amish, possibly young and unmarried, both of which would be powerful motives for such a desperate act. With the rattle and the baby quilt as the only clues, Kate must call upon her own Amish roots, and with the help of state agent John Tomasetti, search the Amish and "English" communities of Painters Mill for clues to unravel the poignant, puzzling mystery.

Among the Wicked

(Chief of Police Kate Burkholder is called upon by the she...)

Chief of Police Kate Burkholder is called upon by the sheriff's department in rural, upstate New York to assist on a developing situation that involves a reclusive Amish settlement and the death of a young girl. Unable to penetrate the wall of silence between the Amish and "English" communities, the sheriff asks Kate to travel to New York, pose as an Amish woman, and infiltrate the community. Kate's long time love interest, State Agent John Tomasetti, is dead set against her taking on such an unorthodox assignment, knowing she'll have limited communication - and even less in the way of backup. But Kate can't turn her back, especially when the rumor mill boils with disturbing accounts of children in danger. She travels to New York where she's briefed and assumes her new identity as a lone widow seeking a new life. Kate infiltrates the community and goes deep under cover. In the coming days, she unearths a world built on secrets, a series of shocking crimes, and herself, alone... trapped in a fight for her life.

Seeds of Deception

(The innocent fun comes to an end when Billy Marquardt and...)

The innocent fun comes to an end when Billy Marquardt and his gang of friends interrupts. Katie is no prude, but she knows better than to associate with the older English boys, especially since they’re known troublemakers. Mattie has no such compunction. Thumbing her nose at the Ordnung and all of the Amish rules, she disappears into the old barn with Billy. Moments later, the Zimmerman’s barn is consumed by fire. Katie suspects Billy had something to do with the blaze, but he denies it. When the facts don’t add up, Katie begins her own investigation - and she doesn’t like what she finds. Will her friendship with Mattie survive the truth?

In the Dead of Night

(Revisit this classic tale of gripping suspense from New Y...)

Revisit this classic tale of gripping suspense from New York Times bestselling author Linda Castillo! Sara Douglas watched as Nick Tyson emerged from the heavy rain, broken and battered. She'd returned to Cape Darkwood, and the cliff side mansion that held her family's secrets, to research her parents' murder - and stop the nightmares. As chief of police, Sara knew Nick could help. But his mere presence had always left her breathless… Few people understood how much Nick had lost, but while Sara ran, Nick had nowhere else to go. Instead, he patrolled a divided town whose secrets lay dormant at the bottom of the cliffs. Nick wouldn't let that be Sara's fate, no matter how much it pained him to see her again. Their pasts linked by tragedy, the truth would finally give them a fresh start. But only if the keeper of that truth allowed it.

Down a Dark Road: A Kate Burkholder Novel

(He was a “fallen” Amish man and a known drug user with a ...)

He was a “fallen” Amish man and a known drug user with a violent temper. Now King has escaped, and he’s headed for Painters Mill. News of a murderer on the loose travels like wildfire, putting Chief of Police Kate Burkholder and her team of officers on edge. But this is personal for Kate. She grew up with Joseph King. As a thirteen year old Amish girl, she’d worshipped the ground he walked on. She never could have imagined the nightmare scenario that becomes reality when King shows up with a gun and takes his five children hostage at their Amish uncle’s farm. Armed and desperate, he has nothing left to lose. Fearing for the safety of the children, Kate makes contact with King only to find herself trapped with a killer. Or is he? All King asks of her is to help him prove his innocence - and he releases her unharmed. Kate is skeptical, but when the facts and the evidence don’t align, she begins to wonder who she should trust. Spurned by some of her fellow cops, she embarks on her own investigation only to unearth an unspeakable secret - and someone who is willing to commit murder to keep it buried.

Only the Lucky

(Bucolic Painters Mill is plunged into darkness in this ne...)

Bucolic Painters Mill is plunged into darkness in this new short mystery, from the New York Times bestselling author of Among the Wicked, featuring Chief of Police Kate Burkholder. It’s Friday the 13th in Painters Mill and rumors of an Amish “rager” - a huge outdoor party rife with underage drinking - puts Chief of Police Kate Burkholder and her small department on edge. To make matters worse, Painters Mill is in the midst of a county-wide power outage. At the height of the rager, a teenage Amish girl is attacked with a hammer and left for dead. Kate is called to the scene - an abandoned farm teeming with loud music and rowdy behavior - to find the girl unconscious and bleeding from a head wound. With the girl in a coma and an unknown attacker on the loose, Kate must discover who would want to hurt her, and why, before it’s too late.

Overkill

(Marty Hogan was a good cop, until a shocking case sent he...)

Marty Hogan was a good cop, until a shocking case sent her to the razor’s edge… A sadistic killer pushed Chicago cop Marty Hogan past her limits - and it was all caught on video. She lost her job, her sense of self, her entire world…until an open detective position in small-town Texas gave her a chance at redemption. But she’s about to learn that the past always catches up… Police Chief Clay Settlemeyer knows all about mistakes and second chances - he’s still earning his own, so he’s willing to give Marty the opportunity to prove herself. But when her ex-partner is murdered, it looks like Chicago is coming to small-town Texas with a vengeance! “Castillo’s novel resonates with its blend of stalking menace and rich characterization.”

In Dark Company

(It’s the middle of the night in Painters Mill, and Chief ...)

It’s the middle of the night in Painters Mill, and Chief of Police Kate Burkholder is called to a scene where a mysterious young woman, battered and terrified, has sought shelter at an Amish farmhouse. She can’t remember her name or where she’s from, but she knows one thing: someone was trying to kill her. Kate suspects that “Jane Doe” remembers more than she’s letting on, but when Jane is attacked again on Kate’s watch, Kate resolves to find the truth. As Jane’s memories start flooding back and Kate dives deeper into her murky past, they must race to discover what Jane was running from - and who is still pursuing her.

Lay Down the Law

(Working together to keep a deputy safe sparks an intense ...)

Working together to keep a deputy safe sparks an intense attraction in New York Times bestselling author Linda Castillo’s classic tale of romantic suspense After nine years as one of Chicago’s finest, Erin McNeal has come to sleepy Logan Falls for a second chance, not to be watched over by a man as infuriatingly overprotective - and disarmingly attractive - as Nick Ryan. She’s no damsel in distress, but someone wants her dead, and it’s his duty to protect her. Whether she likes it or not. Before long, though, this chief of police and his newest deputy are butting heads over every detail of the investigation. And it seems the only thing they can agree on is the one thing they can’t resist - each other.

A Hero to Hold

(She’s a target and he’s her only hope chance at survival ...)

She’s a target and he’s her only hope chance at survival in this classic book of suspense by New York Times bestselling author Linda Castillo She has no name, no memory, nothing but the knowledge that she’s pregnant and someone wants her dead. Her only hope is John - the rescue medic who saved her life, the Good Samaritan who vowed to keep her safe, the sexy stranger who’s stealing her heart. Her hero. Saving lives is his job, but John Maitland learned long ago the cost of personal involvement. Risking his life he could handle, risking his emotions is out of the question. Until he rescues “Hannah,” battered, bruised and scared for her life, off the side of a mountain. Suddenly things are very, very personal.

A Gathering of Secrets: A Kate Burkholder Novel

(A deadly fire exposes the dark side of Amish life in A Ga...)

A deadly fire exposes the dark side of Amish life in A Gathering of Secrets, a harrowing new thriller in the New York Times bestselling series (July 2017) by Linda Castillo. When a historic barn burns to the ground in the middle of the night, Chief of Police Kate Burkholder is called in to investigate. At first, it looks like an accident, but when the body of eighteen-year-old Daniel Gingerich is found inside - burned alive - Kate suspects murder. Who would want a well-liked, hardworking young Amish man dead? Kate delves into the investigation only to find herself stonewalled by the community to which she once belonged. Is their silence a result of the Amish tenet of separation? Or is this peaceful and deeply religious community conspiring to hide a truth no one wants to talk about? Kate doubles down only to discover a plethora of secrets and a chilling series of crimes that shatters everything she thought she knew about her Amish roots—and herself. As Kate wades through a sea of suspects, she’s confronted by her own violent past and an unthinkable possibility.

Shamed: A Kate Burkholder Novel

(In this gripping thriller from New York Times bestselling...)

In this gripping thriller from New York Times bestselling author Linda Castillo, a devastating murder exposes an Amish family’s tortured past. The peaceful town of Painters Mill is shattered when an Amish grandmother is brutally murdered on an abandoned farm. When Chief of Police Kate Burkholder arrives on the scene, she learns that the woman’s seven-year-old granddaughter is gone, abducted in plain sight. Kate knows time is against her - the longer the girl is missing, the less likely her safe return becomes. The girl’s family is a pillar of the Amish community, well-respected by all. But Kate soon realizes they’re keeping secrets - and the sins of their past may be coming back to haunt them. What are they hiding and why? Kate’s investigation brings her to an isolated Old Order Amish settlement along the river, a community where family is everything and tradition is upheld with an iron fist. But the killer is close behind, drawing more victims into a twisted game of revenge. Left behind at each new crime scene are cryptic notes that lead Kate to a haunting and tragic secret. What she uncovers threatens to change everything she thought she knew about the family she’s fighting for, the Amish community as a whole - and her own beliefs. As time to find the missing girl runs out, Kate faces a harrowing choice that will test her convictions and leave one family forever changed.

In Plain Sight

(From Linda Castillo, the New York Times bestselling autho...)

From Linda Castillo, the New York Times bestselling author of A Gathering of Secrets, comes a new Kate Burkholder short mystery, In Plain Sight: a story of star-crossed love and murder in Amish country. Seventeen year old Amish boy, Noah Kline, is struck by a car as he walks alongside a dark country road late one night in Painters Mill. Seriously injured, he lapses into a coma. Initially, Chief of Police Kate Burkholder believes it’s a straightforward hit and run, a driver that panicked and fled. But evidence soon emerges that the incident wasn’t accidental at all
and Kate uncovers a story of teenage passion and jealousy that may have led to attempted murder.

movie

Watch An Amish Murder

(Starring Neve Campbell. A woman returns to the Amish farm...)

Starring Neve Campbell. A woman returns to the Amish farming community of her youth, but her peace is shattered when a murder investigation exposes a dark secret that could destroy her. Based on Linda Castillo's book "Sworn to Silence."

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Linda Castillo is an American writer and novelist. She is the New York Times bestselling author of the Kate Burkholder novels, including Sworn to Silence, which was adapted into a Lifetime Original Movie titled An Amish Murder.

Background

Linda Castillo was born in 1960 in a small farming community in Arcanum, Ohio.

Education

Castillo graduated from two citizen police academies, which enables her to authenticate her stories.

Career

Originally from Ohio where her Amish thrillers are set, Linda Castillo knew from an early age that she wanted to be a writer – and penned her first novel at the age of thirteen. She’s published thirty books for three New York publishing houses and won numerous industry awards, including a nomination by the International Thriller Writers for Best Hardcover, the Golden Heart, the Daphne du Maurier Award of Excellence, and a nomination for the prestigious Rita.

Her debut thriller, Sworn to Silence, garnered starred reviews from Library Journal, Publisher’s Weekly, and Booklist - and spent four weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. The following books in the series also hit the NYT and USA Today lists and became international bestsellers. Sworn to Silence was recently adapted into a two-hour original movie re-titled An Amish Murder and starring Neve Campbell as Kate Burkholder.

She resides in Texas with her husband, two rescued Blue Heelers, and two Appaloosa horses. She’s currently at work on her next novel, a thriller set in Amish Country and featuring Chief of Police Kate Burkholder.

Achievements

Linda Castillo's main achievement is in her 27 successful novels, which brought her numerous awards, including the Daphne du Maurier Award of Excellence, the Holt Medallion, the Golden Heart and a nomination for the prestigious RITA. Castillo's book was also nominated by the International Thriller Writers for Best Hardcover.

movie

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Quotations:
“I’m a morning person, so I like to think I do my best and most creative writing first thing in the morning (post coffee!) It took me eleven years to sell my first book and they were tough years. Most of that time I also had a pretty demanding full-time job. I was obsessive about writing and always found a way to carve out time. There’s nothing even remotely easy about writing. Getting the story on paper, getting it right, creating the world and characters in your head must be a labor of love. You do it because you are driven. My best advice is to love the process, love your story, love your characters. That passion will drive you during the tough times. It will see you through the rejections and when the writing isn’t going well. I know it sounds like a cliché, but keep going. And whatever you do don’t give up.”

Personality

In addition to writing, Linda Castillo's other passion is horses. In her spare time, Linda enjoys trail riding, and dabbles in barrel racing.

Interests

Other Interests

trail riding, barrel racing

Connections

Linda Castillo is happily married and lives with her husband, three dogs, a barn cat, and two Appaloosa horses in Texas, United States.